JPS5920608B2 - Plate glass forming equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the forming of glass sheets to be laminated, and in particular to the single gravity droop bending and pressing of a pair of glass sheets having a non-rectangular profile of non-uniform curvature in plan view. Combinations of bending By bending, we have longitudinal bending about the transverse axis of curvature and complex bending about the longitudinal axis, which includes both convex and concave elements when viewed in elevation. It is concerned with molding complex shapes at the same time.

In order to perform bending into such complex shapes, the glass sheet must be precisely aligned with each of the molds used to impart the bending components to the glass sheet that are compatible with the complex bends in which it is formed. It needs to be supported in alignment.

Such complex shapes are required, for example, to enable a molded sheet glass to be mounted on a curved mounting frame forming part of a car body. The purpose of the curved mounting of the plate glass is to form a laminated glass window that matches the shape of the vehicle body to which the frame is mounted.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,131,873 to Goodwi II ie discloses that a sheet of glass is suspended from an upwardly facing molding surface of a solid continuous mold mounted on a moving vehicle. A sheet glass forming apparatus is disclosed in which the moving vehicle is moved through the furnace by wheels mounted on fixed rails and is aligned and stopped below a press bending mold in a complementary shape relationship.

Although the above patent states that proper mold alignment is desirable, it does not provide any specific apparatus for ensuring proper mold alignment for press bending.

Therefore, this plate glass forming apparatus is suitable for forming glass plates into simple bent shapes such as cylindrical bending or spherical bending, where some misalignment is tolerated because the curvature of the glass plate being bent is uniform. Limited.

US Patent No. 24 granted to Mr. Lewis
No. 42,242 discloses an apparatus for bending rectangular glass sheets into a cylindrical curvature.

The straight leading edge of the glass sheet abuts a rib that aligns the glass sheet between a pair of heated press molds.

As the glass sheet advances into position between the press molds, the fingers supporting the glass sheet are retracted from between the press molds, the glass sheet hangs downwardly toward the press mold, and the shape of the glass sheet is changed between the molds. It is completed by applying pressure.

In the case of this US patent, only glass sheets with straight leading edges can be aligned between press molds.

US Patent No. 25 granted to Mr. Black
No. 70309 discloses that after a sheet of glass is droop-bent to match the contour of a circular metal contour mold,
The drooping bent plate glass is placed on a concave press mold and raised toward an upwardly convex press mold whose shape is complementary to that of the concave press mold to complete the bending. An apparatus is disclosed.

The pressed glass sheet is lowered into the circular profile mold and transported to a cooling station.

No alignment device is provided to ensure that the circular profile mold stops in proper alignment between the upper and lower press molds.

Thus, when forming a glass sheet with a circular profile into a shape, the device of Mr. Black's patent allows the shape of the glass sheet to conform to the shape of the frame in which the curved glass sheet is mounted, even if misalignment occurs. It can be said that it is only practical to form a plate glass in such a way that misalignment has no effect.

U.S. Patent No. 30 granted to Mr. Black
No. 68,672 discloses a segmented profile mold for bend-forming a glass sheet with a non-rectangular profile into a non-uniform shape about a transverse axis by gravity droop.

Stops are provided to guide the position of the glass sheet into proper orientation and alignment with the mold.

The stop member remains in place when the bent glass sheet is removed from the mold.

No device is provided to correct the uncontrolled sagging shape in the unsupported area I of the formed glass sheet.

Nordberg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,839, discloses the press face of a glass sheet by adding colloidal alumina onto the press face to facilitate removal of the bent glass sheet from the mold surface. Or a colloidal silicon mold release agent is used.

Only press facing is used to form sheet glass.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,672 to Touvay et al. discloses a method for simultaneously pressing and facing two glass sheets suspended from a firebox prior to lamination.

No means are provided to prevent scorch marks from forming on glass sheets treated in this way.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,173 to Leflett discloses an apparatus for bending and tempering a glass sheet while the glass sheet is supported on a contour mold, the mold forming a complex structure on the glass sheet. To give it shape, it is shaped with an upwardly facing shaped surface that is convexly curved when viewed in elevation in one direction and concavely curved when viewed in elevation in the other direction. After the plate glass is bent, its longitudinal shape is concave when viewed in elevation, and its lateral dimension t is convex when viewed in elevation. It has become.

There is no suggestion of using press bevels to minimize uncontrolled droop bending in unsupported glass sheet areas in the mold profile.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,161 to Golightly discloses an apparatus for simultaneously bending at least two sheets of glass over a contoured metal mold for stacking in pairs after being bent.

There is no suggestion in this patent of press facing to minimize unsterilized sag.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,476,540 to Ritter, Carson and Hymore, individual glass sheets are conveyed on rollers to a forming station where each glass sheet is placed in a so-called inertial Gravity bending is raised by a profile mold consisting of multiple profile bars at a speed sufficient to form the shape.

Ritter and Hymore
), U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,724, issued to M.D., adds to the inertial gravity bending method of the above-mentioned patent by engaging a glass sheet against an additional forming surface disposed so that the top surface of the glass sheet contacts it when the glass sheet is lifted. The process of joining is combined.

No. 3,476,540 and 3,554,724 patents, no provision is made for correcting undesirable sag within the periphery of the supported glass pane.

U.S. Patent No. 37 granted to Mr. Frank
No. 01643 discloses an apparatus for orienting and aligning a moving glass sheet by engaging both side edges of the glass sheet with alignment members.

In this case, the glass sheet rests on conveyor rolls and the lower major surface of the glass sheet is damaged as it slides against said rolls.

Distortion may occur at the edge of the glass sheet as the moving alignment member engages the edge.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,244 to Nedelec, glass sheets are bent in a series of pneumatic actuation steps or in combination with a pneumatic actuation step followed by a mechanical actuation step.

The patent states that instead of one glass sheet, two glass sheets can be bent together on the same device, and even if the glass sheet is bent quickly, it can be bent without changing any of the steps of bending. There is.

However, this patent does not provide a specific method for handling two sheets of glass at the same time by pneumatic actuation.

Only one glass sheet can be held by a single suction device.

The object of the invention is a novel glass sheet forming apparatus for forming glass sheets having a non-rectangular profile and a non-uniform curvature in plan, which comprises: a longitudinal bending component about a transverse bending axis; into a complex shape in combination with a lateral bending component about a longitudinal bending axis, such as a generally S-shaped profile when viewed in elevation, including convex and concave feature elements, or other complex shapes; An object of the present invention is to provide a plate glass forming apparatus for forming plate glass into a rough shape.

According to the present invention, a glass plate is provided for forming a glass plate having a non-rectangular contour and a non-uniform curvature when viewed in plan into a complex shape having a longitudinal bending component and a transverse bending component. a forming apparatus comprising: an elongated furnace having a heating zone, a gravity bending zone and a press bending station; defining a path along a substantially horizontal longitudinal reference line extending longitudinally of the furnace; a conveyor; a carriage adapted to move along the conveyor with a geometric center of the carriage substantially aligned with the longitudinal reference line; a contour mold supported on said carriage and defining a shape consistent with said longitudinal bending component; and a position of said contour mold both longitudinally and laterally relative to said carriage. a positioning device for positioning the contour mold so that the geometric center of the contour mold is vertically aligned with the geometric center of the carriage; an upper press mold having a downwardly facing press face with a downwardly facing forming surface defining a directional bending component, the geometric center of the downwardly facing forming surface being at the longitudinal reference; said upper full mold resting on a fixed vertical axis intersecting at said press bending station a line and a substantially horizontal transverse reference line orthogonal to said longitudinal reference line; a lower press mold having an upwardly facing molding surface with an upwardly facing molding surface in a complementary relationship to the shape of the facing molding surface; moving the geometric center of the upwardly facing forming surface from a lower position below the path to a raised position above the path and proximate the downwardly facing forming surface; a displacement device for movement along said fixed vertical axis; a pair of retractable pins supported on opposite sides of said conveyor in parallel alignment with said lateral reference line; and said lower press mold. a pair of pin engaging members carried on the carriage at a position to be engaged by the pin when the pin is extended when the pin is in the lower position, the pin engaging member the pair of pin engagements configured to position the geometric center of the contour mold such that the geometric center of the contour mold coincides with the fixed vertical axis t when the pin is engaged with the pin; a member; for guiding the position of one or more flat glass glass sheets carried by the contour mold and placed on the contour mold, the geometrical center of the one or more glass sheets being aligned with the geometrical center of the contour mold; a guide device for properly orienting and registering the one or more sheets of glass with respect to the contour mold by aligning the glass sheets with the center of the target; While being moved toward a station, the one or more sheets of glass are heated to a glass deformation temperature in proper orientation and alignment with the contour mold. sagging by gravity to conform so that the one or more panes of glass are formed into the longitudinal bending component, and the carriage is positioned such that the geometric center of the contour mold is located at the fixed vertical axis. the lower press mold lifts the one or more sheets of glass bent in a longitudinal direction and places the one or more sheets of glass into the upper press mold. engaging the lateral bending component of the complex shape to the one or more sheets of glass at a press bending station thereof, after which the lower press mold is bent to the complex shape. The one or more sheets of glass are lowered back onto the contour mold, the one or more sheets of glass bent into the complex shape, and returned to the contour mold.
A glass sheet forming apparatus is provided, characterized in that the glass sheet or sheets are configured to be moved from the press bending station while remaining on the contour mold with minimal deviations in orientation and alignment.

According to the glass sheet forming apparatus according to the invention, a glass sheet having a non-uniform contour is positioned in proper orientation and alignment on the contour mold, and the alignment of the contour mold with respect to the carriage is controlled by the contour mold and the carriage. are properly arranged to allow thermal expansion without distortion or relative misalignment between them, the orientation and alignment of the profile mold with respect to the lower press mold is at the proper point in the bending cycle, and , the lower press mold, and the contour mold are tied together to prevent them from colliding and causing damage to the molds.

The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the preferred embodiments described below.

The particular embodiment of the invention described herein was combined with a longitudinal bending component.

The present invention relates to simultaneously forming a pair of glass sheets into a complex bending shape including a lateral bending component that is S-shaped when viewed in elevation; It should be understood that this method can also be used to simultaneously form more than one sheet of glass into complex curvature shapes with longitudinal bending components of any desired geometry in combination.

The present invention also provides for bend-formed glass sheets with irregular contours to be bent and shaped when required to be mounted in a contour frame of corresponding geometry. It is also suitable for shaping into shapes that include one or more simple bent shapes of uniform curvature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to make it possible to understand the invention more clearly, a description of preferred embodiments of an apparatus for carrying out the invention will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1a and 1b of the accompanying drawings show a hot forming and annealing furnace for forming glass sheets in accordance with the present invention.

This heating furnace is located downstream of the charging area 31, and includes a heating area 33 shaped like a tunnel, and a gravity bending area 35 located downstream of the heating area 33.

a press bending or forming station 37 located immediately after the gravity bending region 35; an annealing region 39 with a door 40 located behind the forming station 37; A cooling area 41 is provided in contact with the cooling area 41.

The unloading area 43V'i is arranged at the rear of the heating furnace.

The side walls of the furnace at the forming station 37 are provided with mutually aligned tubes 35, which form part of an optical inspection system.

Said tube 3414. A laser transmitting device 36 or other radiant energy transmitter mounted on one side wall and a laser receiving device 38 in the form of a photovoltaic cell or the like mounted on the opposite side wall at a location for detecting the laser beam from the laser transmitting device 36. It has been harmonized between the two.

FIG. 4 shows the state of these arrangements.

A plurality of short rolls 45 are arranged facing each other in the lateral force direction t and spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction to form one conveyor. The conveyor extends along the entire length of the furnace and defines a path of movement along a longitudinal reference line.

Each short roll 45ii is mounted on a shaft extending through the side wall of the furnace, which shaft is connected to a conveyor drive (not shown).

A mold return conveyor (not shown) extends above the entire furnace.

The conveyor is divided into several sections, each section being able to be driven by its own drive via a conventional drive rond and gearing or chain drive; alternatively, the conveyor It is also possible to drive several sections of the motor by one common drive via clutches in a manner well known in the art.

The longitudinal reference line is preferably the longitudinal power center line of the conveyor and the heating furnace, but may be a line parallel thereto.

A rotatable operating member 46 for operating a limit switch 48 is arranged between adjacent short rolls 45 in the press bending station 37 .

Said operating member 46Vi has one small inner tab 50;
These tabs 50, 52F'i are fixedly attached to pivot rods 54 extending through the side walls of the press bending station.

A plurality of mold support carriages or carriages 47 (FIGS. 2, 4, and 7) are provided, and each carriage 47 is provided with rails 49 extending laterally at both ends thereof. The rail 49 is supported by a short roll 45, and the carriage 47 is conveyed along the conveyor by rotationally engaging the short roll 45 with the rail 49.

One of the rails 49 moves along a path to engage the rotatable operating member 46 .

Normally, the large outer tab 52 causes the pivot rod 54 to be oriented vertically upwardly and the large outer tab 52 is oriented vertically downwardly into engagement with the limit switch 48. It has been rotated out of alignment.

Limit switch 48Vi is mounted on the outer surface of the side wall of the furnace for easy access.

When the rail 49 of the carriage 47 engages the operating member 46,
Since the small inner tab 50 is rotated so as to be oriented horizontally downstream of the movement of the carriage 47, the large outer tab 52 is rotated horizontally oriented upstream and the limit switch 48.

The outer tab 52 is. It remains engaged with the limit switch 48 until the rail 49 of the carriage 47 passes beyond the position occupied by the small inner tab 50.

Rail 4 beyond the position occupied by small inner tab 50
9 has passed, the large outer tab 52 is rotated to a vertically downwardly facing position and the small inner tab 50 is raised into a position to engage the rail 49 of the next carriage 47.

Upright members 51 connect rails 49 to a pair of horizontal upper longitudinal rails 53.

A pair of upper transverse rails 55 interconnect the upper longitudinal rails 53 of carriage 47.

Each upright member 51 located at one longitudinal side edge of the carriage 47 is provided with a plate 56 in which a hole is drilled.

Holes provided in the plate 56 ensure that the carriage 47 is correctly oriented and aligned within the press bending station 37.
Whenever the laser transmission device 3 is positioned
6 and the laser light receiving device 38.

A finger 57 extending longitudinally along said longitudinal reference line is mounted on each upper longitudinal rail 53 via a position adjustment device 59 so as to be adjustable in the longitudinal direction thereof. There is.

Each position adjustment device 59 includes a pair of finger-like brackets 58 fixed to each rail 53, each bracket having a set screw 60 threaded therethrough.

The inner end of the set screw 60 is engaged with both sides of the finger 57, and the inner end of the set screw 60 is engaged with both sides of the finger 57 so that the finger 57
It is designed to adjust the position of 7.

The lock nut 62 functions to fix the position of the finger 57 by locking the set screw 60 against the bracket 58 so that it does not move.

A horizontal finger 61 extending transversely to the longitudinal reference line is adjustably mounted to the upper transverse rail 55 in the same manner as described above.

Four position adjustment devices 59 are shown, one for each rail 53 and 55, which constitute the contour mold alignment device.

The inner end of each finger 57 is fixedly attached to a longitudinally extending portion of a contour reinforcing ring 63 surrounding one contour mold or contour mold 65;
The inner end of each finger 61 is fixedly attached to the connecting end portion of its ring 63.

The profile mold 65 is a ring-shaped member that conforms in elevation and profile to the desired longitudinal and lateral elevation shape of the glass sheet to be bent; is slightly smaller than the profile of the glass sheet to allow the edge of the ring to project slightly beyond the ring-like member.

A plurality of connecting members 67 connect the outer surface of the contour mold 65 and the contour reinforcing ring 63 to each other.

A pair of longitudinal bars 69 are attached to the connecting end portions of the contour reinforcing ring 63.

The outer longitudinal ends of the bar 69 rest on the upper transverse rail 55 adjacent the ends of the connecting end portion of the contour reinforcing ring 63 to which the bar 69 is attached.

Each of the four position adjustment devices 59 is provided with a contour mold 65 where a line connecting two longitudinally extending fingers 57 intersects a line connecting two laterally extending fingers 61.
is adjusted to locate the geometric center of the plane and then fixed.

The fingers 57 and 61 are set in such a way that the geometric center of the mold 65 does not need to be displaced or shifted under different thermal expansions, and that the profile mold is not distorted in plan or elevation. It is slidably engaged between the screws 60.

Each rail 49 supports a small horizontal platform 71 which is equipped with a V'iJ-shaped wall member or pin engagement member 13.

The pin engagement member 73 includes a long leg 75, a short leg 77, and a closed end 79 connecting these legs.

These legs 75 and 77 extend in a direction transverse to the longitudinal reference line.

The closed end 79 is located at the lateral inner end of the pin engaging member 73, and a pin 81 provided at the end of the piston rod 83 is engaged with the closed end 79. It is now possible to match them together (Figure 3).

A piston rod 83 extends from a piston cylinder 85 carried in a housing mounted to the furnace support structure.

The piston rod 831'i, the piston rod 8
3 has an enlarged head 87 drawn to engage limit switches 88 and 891 as it moves.

Next, please refer to FIGS. 8, 9, and 10.

Each contour mold 65 is equipped with a glazing alignment device, each of which has a guide device in the form of an alignment pin 91 slidable within a vertical sleeve 93 .

The sleeve 93 has a perforated finger 94 and one end fixed to the sleeve 93 and a lockite 98.
It is adjustably attached to the connecting member 67 via an axially adjustable screw shaft 96 which is locked to the finger 94 by the screw shaft 96 .

The bottom end of each alignment pin 91 rests on a projecting tab 95 that projects radially outwardly from a horizontal pivot pin 97 that extends inwardly from reinforcing ring 63 .

The wider and heavier protruding tab 99 is connected to the horizontal pivot pin 9.
7 protrudes radially in the opposite direction to the protruding tab 95 and urges the protruding tab 95 upward to temporarily support the alignment pin 2/91.

Angle member 100 with horizontal flange 101
is fixed to the contour mold 65 directly below the sleeve 93 and sufficiently below the horizontal pivot pin 97 so that the tab 95 does not collide with the flange 101 thereof.

The alignment pins 91 are arranged so that the pair of glass plates are connected to the charging area 3.
1, a guide device is provided which abuts the edges of the glass sheets as they are placed on the contour mold 65.

This abutting action helps the geometric center of the supported glass sheet to be aligned with the geometric center of the contour mold 65.

The edges of the glass sheet are aligned with the alignment pins 9' while the contour mold 65 moves from the charging area 31 to the forming station 37.
The contact state is maintained at 100 m, and the contact state is released when the alignment pin 91 is lowered immediately before the plate glass is removed from the contour mold 65.

As shown in FIG. 2, press bending station 37 includes a lower press mold 103 that includes an upwardly facing ceramic press face 105. As shown in FIG.

The upper surface of the press surface material 105 is provided with a continuous area having a slightly smaller contour than the contour mold 65.

The upper surface of the pressed face material 105 defines a concave shape in the vertical plane transverse to the width of the heating furnace to match the longitudinal bending component.

The furnace is S-shaped in longitudinal elevation to match the desired lateral bending component.

The upward facing ceramic pressed surface material 105 is provided with an undercut portion 107 extending in the circumferential direction, and the undercut portion 107 is formed on the mold cover 10.
9 ends are accepted.

The cover 109 is comprised of highly flexible woven materials that will not damage hot glass sheets, such as fiberglass cloth and fine wire mesh.

Preferably, U.S. Pat. No. 314, issued to Cypher and Valchar.
A two-layer knitted glass fiber cloth of the type described in No. 8968 is used.

A wire 111 is wound around the undercut portion 107 to secure the bent end portion of the mold cover 109.

The wire 11 is formed in a concave shape when viewed from above.
1 is attached to the undercut portion.

When the ends of the wires 111 are twisted to tighten the mold cover 109 against the undercut, the cover 109 is securely attached to the press face 105.

Thus, the cover clamping device in the form of a wire 111 is such that the device does not protrude beyond the contour of the press face 105.

The lower portion of the upward facing pressed ceramic facing 105 includes a pair of elongated slots 113 and 115 (FIGS. 3 and 7) extending in the direction of the longitudinal reference line and along the lateral reference line. A pair of elongated slots 117 and 119 are provided.

The longitudinal reference line connecting the slots 113, 115, 117 and 119V'i and the elongated slots 113 and 115 is aligned with the horizontal reference line connecting the slots 117 and 119 when viewed from the plane of the upward facing ceramic press art material 105. are arranged so that they intersect at the geometric center of their contours.

The geometric center of this press face 105 is located on a fixed vertical axis intersecting the geometric center of the press bending station 37 and the geometric center of the press face 105.

Adjustment of the position of the fingers 57 and 61 is such that the geometric center of the contour mold 65 is aligned with the fixed vertical axis when the contour mold 65 assumes the operating position at the press bending station 37. It is done.

The upward ceramic pressed surface material 105 is a metal plate 12
1, and the plate 121 has slots 113 and 11.
Upright pins 123, one each of 5, 117 and 119, are attached.

The geometric centers of the four pins 123 (this is in contrast to the geometric center of the press surface material 105) are aligned with the longitudinal reference line corresponding to the longitudinal center line of the heating furnace. The pins 123 are placed along a lateral reference line in the direction across the heating furnace that is common to the pins 81.

If necessary, the lower flange 127 of the pressed surface material 105 is attached to the metal plate 121, and these flanges 1
27 and the plate 121 to allow for a difference in thermal expansion.
A letter-shaped bar 125 is provided.

The configuration of the slots 113, 115, 117 and 119 and the upright pins 123 ensure that the geometric center of the lower press mold 103 is always in the proper position t, regardless of temperature changes from the installation temperature to the operating temperature. guaranteed to be maintained.

The metal plate 121 is reinforced by a grid 129.

The grid 129 is connected to the lower frame 131 by a vertical adjustment device 1331, for example in the form of an adjustment screw.

A moving device or lower piston 135 is connected to the lower frame 131, adapted to move in a vertical direction parallel to a fixed vertical axis intersecting the geometrical center of the pressing face 105 of the lower press mold 103. The lower press mold 103 is vertically raised and lowered to a sterilized position by the stroke of the lower piston 135 and the adjustment action of the vertical adjustment device 133.

As the lower piston 135 moves the lower press mold 103, the geometric center of the press face 105 moves along the fixed vertical axis at the geometric center of the press bending station 37.

A pair of operating pins 136 (FIGS. 3, 4, 9, and 10) are positioned between the contour reinforcing ring 63 and the contour mold 65 when the lower press mold 103 is raised. It protrudes upwardly from the metal plate 121 at a predetermined position such that it engages and lifts the heavy protruding tab 99 located on the metal plate 121 .

Due to this engagement action, the alignment pin 91 is attached to the contour mold 65.
Since the glass sheet is lowered below the upper surface of the mold 65, the glass sheet can be placed on the contour mold 65 again without fear of being lowered in sliding engagement with the pins 91.

The press bending station 37 includes an upper press mold 137 with a downward ceramic press material 139.
Contains.

Said press surface material 139f1. The lower press mold 1
A downwardly facing molding surface is defined that is complementary in shape to the shape of the upwardly facing molding surface defined by the ceramic pressed face material 105 of No. 03.

The upper press mold 137 has a downwardly facing ceramic press member 139 whose geometric center is located at the upper ceramic press member 103 of the lower press mold 103 .
5, and a downwardly facing forming surface defined by the press ffi material 139; an upwardly facing forming surface defined by the press facing material 105; properly oriented to
and is supported in a position such that they are aligned.

The upper press mold 137 may be equipped with a mold cover made of the same material as that provided on the lower press mold 103, preferably of two layers of knitted glass fiber cloth.

A reinforcing grid 147 is provided on the ceramic pressed surface material 139.
said slot 113 to receive a vertical alignment pin 143 attached to a metal plate 145 reinforced by
, 115, 117 and 119.
is provided.

A mold cover for said upper press mold 137 is suitably clamped to the peripheral portion of a metal plate 145 projecting beyond the upward facing face 139 and extends around the upper press mold 131 and press face 13.
91 is extended in contact with the molding surface defined by this.

The configuration of the slots 141 and pins 143 allows the upper press mold 137 to remain stable regardless of temperature changes that occur during operation.
The geometric center of the upper press mold 137 is ensured to be located directly above the geometric center of the lower press mold 103, and the orientation of the upper press mold 137 is ensured to be aligned with the orientation of the lower press mold 103.

The ceramic pressed surface material 139F'i is provided with an upper flange 149.

The upper flange 149 is supported by a four-shaped bar 151 attached to the underside of the metal plate 145.
The four-shaped bar 151 provides a ledge that supports the upper flange 149 with relative horizontal sliding movement of the upper flange 149 due to differential thermal expansion.

The upper metal frame 153V'i, the structure of which is the vertical adjustment device 133, is adjustably attached to the metal plate 145 via a vertical adjustment device 155 similar to the above-mentioned vertical adjustment device 133.

A vertical column 157 is used to hold the upper press mold 137 in the desired position;
57 is supported by an elevated support structure and is adjustable in position via a screw jack (not shown).

U side door 159 (No. 1a) to press bending station 37
Figure) You can now get closer than you.

Lifting device 16 for opening and closing said lateral 159 when access to the press bending station is required.
1 is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 2, the lower piston 135Vi is disposed within an inner cylindrical housing 169.

A first vertical rack 170 is secured to the outer wall of the outer cylindrical housing 171 .

The housing 171 is disposed in concentric relationship with the inner housing 169 and includes a lower piston 135.
is caused to move vertically along with the vertical movement of the piston rod.

This causes the first vertical rack 170 to rotate in mesh with a first gear 172 fixed to a short horizontal drive shaft 174.

A second gear 176 fixed to the short horizontal drive shaft 174 meshes with a third gear 178.

A backup roll 180 is disposed below the rank 182 at the inner end portion of the laterally extending horizontal rack 182 in alignment with the third gear 178 .

The rack 182 extends from below the forming station 37 through the side wall of the furnace, and outside the furnace, the outer end portion of the rank 182 is connected to the back unroll 18.
4, and a fourth gear 186 is provided at the outer end portion of the rank 182 in alignment with the backup roll 184.

The fourth gear 186 is connected to the shaft 18 (located outside the heating furnace).
7I is fixed, and the fifth gear 18 is fixed to the shaft 187.
8 is fixed for rotation with its axis 187.

The fifth gear 188 meshes with a lower gear 189 of a pair of rack drive gears 189, and when the pair of drive gears 189 is rotated, the second vertical rank 190 is raised and lowered. It has become.

Each drive gear 189 is provided with a respective backup roll 191 in alignment with a second vertical rack 190 in between.

The second limit switch 192 controls the vertical upward movement speed of the piston in the lower piston cylinder 135, and the limit switch 193 controls a timer circuit that holds the lower press mold 103 in its upper position for a predetermined time. is operated by upward movement of an operating member 194 carried on one side of a vertical hollow 190 .

Another operating member 19 provided on the other side of the rank 190
4 is a limit switch 195 that controls a pair of timers.
The pair of timers controls the downward movement of the lower piston 135 at a relatively low speed and the subsequent downward movement at a relatively high speed, so that the lower piston 135 is completely The other operating member 19 is pulled in.
4 engages a limit switch 196 provided at the end of the travel stroke of the lower piston 135, which causes the lateral retraction of the alignment pin 81 from the pin engagement member 73 and the opening of the door 40. The rotation of the short rolls 45 in the section of the conveyor containing the opening and forming station 37 is adapted to be controlled.

A pair of curved profile glass sheets with a suitable separating interlayer between them are mounted on a profile mold 65 supported on a mold support carriage 47 located in the cycle loading area 31 of the operation. It is placed in a substantially horizontal orientation.

Transverse alignment with respect to the longitudinal reference line is achieved by substantially exactly positioning the carriage 47i1 and the rail 49 on the short roll 45.

Alignment pins 91 are lifted to guide the periphery of the glass sheet into proper positioning relative to contour mold 65.

Heavy projecting tab 99Vi, pin 91 pivots projecting tab 95 into position to support it in the raised position shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The carriage 47 passes through a heating region 33 of the heating furnace in which the contour mold 65 on which the sheet glass is placed is heated both in the longitudinal and lateral directions of the path of movement as it passes through the heating furnace. A heating element is disposed to provide operation and function.

The contour mold 65 has a gravity bending area 35 (621°C~6
The sheet glass is kept at an ambient temperature of 38°C (11500F to 1180°F) until it reaches its deformation temperature (582°C to 621°C (1080°F to 1
The contour mold 65 is heated to a temperature of 1500F)
Although it hangs down to a longitudinal bending component that conforms to the shape defined by the upwardly directed forming surface, the glass sheet is not imparted with a lateral bending component.

Here, the term "longitudinal deflection component" means a bending component about an axis substantially parallel to a longitudinal reference line defined by a conveyor extending in the longitudinal direction of the heating furnace.

During the passage of the contour mold 65 from the loading area 31 to the press bending station 37, the mold 65Vi may shift from being generally properly aligned and oriented with respect to the longitudinal reference line.

However, since the glass sheet has a non-rectangular profile with a non-uniform curvature when viewed in plan and is bent into a complex shape, when the glass sheet reaches the press bending station 37, it is It is essential that the glass sheets are accurately oriented and aligned.

It is important that the contour mold 65 is properly aligned over the lower press mold 103 to prevent damage to the contour mold 65.

If the carriage 47 is incorrectly positioned or misoriented at the press bending station 37, the perforated plate 56 attached to the carriage 47 will block the laser beam and cause the device to Further operation of is stopped.

When the holes in both perforated plates 56 are aligned with the path of the laser beam, operation of the device continues.

At this point, lower press mold 103 is in the lowered position, providing clearance for carriage 47 to advance to press bending station 37.

The pin 81, which had been retracted to an outward position to allow the pin engagement member 73 of the previous carriage to pass through the press bending station 37, is attached to the rail 4 of the carriage 47.
5 is actuated when 9 engages the operating member 46 and rotates the inner tab 50 and outer tab 52 together to energize the limit switch 48.

The limit switch 48 drives the piston cylinder 85 once to move the pin 81 to an intermediate position. In this intermediate position, the short leg 77 is not engaged with the pin 81, but the long leg 75 is engaged with the pin 81. is engaged, thereby stopping further movement of carriage 47.

At this point, the geometric center of the glass is aligned with the lateral reference line, but may not be aligned with the longitudinal reference line.

When said pin 81 is in one of their intermediate positions, the enlarging head 87 engages a limit switch 88, which limits the rotation of the conveyor 0-/L/45 located at the press-bending station 37. a first timer that temporarily stops further inward movement of the piston rod 83 and after an adjustable time delay required for rotation of the roll to stop; 83 to a fully extended position along a line parallel to the lateral reference line.

In this fully extended position, the enlarged head 87 engages the limit switch 89 and the pin 81 abuts the lateral inner end 79 of said pin-engaging member 73 to support the carriage 47 and the contours supported thereon. The mold 65 is centered so that the geometric center of the contour mold 65 is vertically aligned with the geometric centers t of the upper press mold 137 and the lower press mold 103.

The limit switch 89 activates a pair of master switches (not shown) that close only when the laser receiver 38 detects a laser beam.

Therefore, the lower press mold 103 cannot be moved upwardly unless the carriage, 17, is properly positioned, aligned, and oriented at the press bending station 37.

The limit switch 89 also causes the lower press mold 103 to rise rapidly until the operating member 194 engages the limit switch 192, and then moves downward so that the mold 103 rises at a slower rate of rise. The lifting of the piston 103 is controlled.

Thus, in said gradual raising phase the glass sheets are lifted more slowly from the contour mold 65 and the glass sheets are lifted up into the upper press mold 137 as they are lifted.
While being engaged with the lower press mold 103, the lower press mold 103 supports almost the entire surface.

As the lower press mold 103 is raised, the operating pin 136 engages the heavy protruding tab 99 and aligns the alignment pin 91.
is released and its pin 91 falls onto the horizontal flange 101, thereby removing any material abutting the edge of the glass sheet from near the periphery of the contour mold 65 before lifting the glass sheet from the contour mold 65. It looks like this.

Breath molds 103 and 137 are maintained at the desired elevated temperature within press bending station 37.

By raising the temperature of the mold, the glass forming ability of the press mold is improved and the possibility of cold cracking of the glass, a phenomenon associated with cold molds, is reduced.

The press mold is at an elevated temperature close to ambient temperature within the press bending station 37.

The limit switch 193 activates a third timer when the piston 135 is fully extended to maintain both press molds in contact with both major outer surfaces of the pair of glass plates, thereby forming an S-shape. To surely impart lateral curvature to a plate glass.

The third timer also controls the start of the return movement of the lower press mold 103 in which the lower press mold 103 is returned to its lowered position at a slow rate of descent.

In order to impart a shape in the lateral direction to a glass plate, depending on the severity of the curvature of the shape and the thickness of the glass plate, it is necessary to maintain the engagement between the mold and the glass plate from an instantaneous contact action to about 5 seconds. be done.

When the other operating member 194 engages the limit switch 195, the operating member 194 engages the limit switch 19.
6, the downward movement of piston 135 is accelerated.

When the other operating member 194 operates the limit switch 196, the piston 135 is completely retracted, and the pin 81F'i is retracted by the operation of the limit switch 196, and the door 40 of the heating furnace is opened. He, the fourth
A timer (not shown) is started.

When the pin 81 is fully retracted, it engages another limit switch (not shown) (!), which cooperates with a fourth timer to cause the conveyor roll 45 to move. The conveyor roll is activated to rotate.

When the door 40 of the heating furnace is opened, a limit switch (not shown) provided near the door is activated, and the rotation of the roll is thereby stopped. This continues until the door 40 begins to close and is disengaged from the aforementioned limit switch located near the door.

A limit switch provided in the annealing region 39 to be controlled by the rail 49 of the carriage controls the closing of the furnace door 40.

The pin 81 is retracted, the piston 135 is lowered, and the roll 45 is rotated,
Then, when the rail 49 of the carriage is disengaged from the operating member 46 with the door 40 closed, the control circuit for the next operating cycle is set.

As can be seen, the contour mold 65 and the mold support carriage 47 move from the charging area 31 to the molding station 3.
7, the raised alignment pin 91t'i abuts against the edge of the glass sheet, thereby holding the glass sheet in proper alignment with the contour mold 65.

During this passing movement, the contour mold 65 is held in alignment with the carriage 41.

However, since the carriage rails 49 rest on the short rolls 45, when the carriage 47 enters successively hotter regions within the heating zone 33, even if the carriage and the carriage it supports are Even if the contour mold 65 is allowed to expand without distortion (which can occur if the carriage is equipped with wheels that engage a rigid track), the rails 49 Will it slide non-uniformly on the roll during the passing movement, causing the carriage 47 to be oriented incorrectly?

Alternatively, the carriage may be moved out of alignment.

The pin 81 engages with a pin engaging member 73 provided on the carriage to form the contour mold 6 at the molding station 37.
5. Correct any orientation errors and deviations from alignment.

The lower press mold 103 is located at the molding station 3
The ascent will not begin until the position of carriage 47 at point 7 is corrected.

The lower press mold 103 initially rises rapidly to reduce the time required for a single bending cycle.

However, from about the point at which the operating pins 136 engage the heavy projecting tabs 99 and release the alignment pins 91 from their glass edge abutting positions, the lower press mold 103 continues to rise at a more gradual rate.

This slow upward movement of the lower press mold 103 allows the upper surface of the upper glass sheet to move through the position occupied by the one contour mold 65 for the minimum time necessary to impart a lateral bending component.
Lower press mold 10 to the position where it is engaged with 7.
3 continues to move and the plate glass is pressed downward into the press mold 103.
The chance that the glass sheet will become out of alignment with the contour mold 65 during transfer to the mold 65 is reduced.

In order to complete the operating cycle at the forming station 37 as quickly as possible, the contours are removed as quickly as possible by lowering the lower press mold 103 through the contour mold 65 at a slightly slower speed to avoid misalignment of the sheet glass. Lower the plate glass onto the mold 65,
Thereafter, the lower press mold 103 is lowered completely below the carriage 47 at a faster speed.

A typical speed cycle for the lower press mold 103 is an initial upward velocity of 8.9 cx/sec (3.5 in/sec) before engaging the glass sheet; falls to a rate of rise of 3.6 CIIL/sec (1.4 in/sec) and a rate of descent of 3.6 cr1'L/sec (1.4 in/sec) until the sheet is placed on the profile mold again. ) and then 10.9c1'
This results in a fast descending speed of rL/sec (4.3 inches/sec).

During the raising and lowering of the glass sheet relative to the contour mold 65, the alignment pin 91 is kept below the forming surface of the contour mold 65 to avoid any damage to the edges of the glass sheet.

Damage to the edge of the glass plate 1 contour mold 65
This is caused by the edge of the glass sheet rubbing against the registration pin 91 during its downward movement which is faster than the relatively slow rate at which the glass sheet sags toward the lower end.

The glass sheet placed again on the contour mold 65 conforms to the shape of said mold 65 in contour and in both longitudinal and transverse elevation.

,. Using various device components in combination, and making limit switches and timers work together,
A drooping bend on a contour mold to impart a longitudinal bending component, followed by a continuous press bend or lift on a solid solid mold to impart a complex transverse bending component. In order to minimize visible area defects, the softened sheet glass is brought into contact with the solid mold for a limited time to minimize any uncontrollable sag in the shape created during the sagging bending. By forcing you to correct it,
Glass plates with complex contours can be reliably formed into complex shapes in pairs.

After the glass sheets are bent into their complex mating shapes in a press bending station having an ambient temperature of approximately 582°C (iosooF), the glass sheets are
From a deformation temperature range of 1080°F to 1150°F, approximately 510°C for float glass
It is necessary to hold the glass sheets in their conforming shape until they are cooled below the strain point of the glass, which is 950 degrees Fahrenheit (950 degrees Fahrenheit).

In order to ensure that the drawing glass conforms to the desired shape, it is important to cool the glass plate below the strain point at a slow rate.

The maximum cooling rate that avoids excessive permanent distortion between the glass sheets depends on the thickness of the glass.

For two pieces of float glass each with a thickness of 2.3 mm (90 mils), a maximum of 83°C/min (150°
F/min) to a temperature of 482 °C (900 °F), and then uncontrolled and faster cooling to room temperature, a pair of glass sheets bent into complex shapes.

0.76 to form the complicated shape of the windshield
It has been found that a 30 mil (mm) intermediate layer can be laminated on both sides and maintained with sufficient accuracy.

In order to prevent excessive permanent distortion when annealing thicker curved float glass pairs, it is desirable to employ a slower cooling rate below the strain point.

For example, for a pair of glass sheets each having a thickness of 2.5 mm (100 mils), 67 °C/min (120 °F
A maximum cooling rate of 50° C./min (90° V min) is recommended for a pair of glass sheets having a thickness of 90° V min).

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that glass sheets having non-rectangular profiles and non-uniform curvatures when viewed in plan can be bent into complementary shapes in pairs.

This bending is accomplished by first placing the pair of glass sheets in proper alignment on a profile mold defining a preliminary longitudinal bending component to the lateral dimension of the glass sheet.

and. stopping and aligning the profile mold so that the geometric center of the glass sheet to be formed in the longitudinal bending component is aligned both longitudinally and laterally with the geometric center of the upper and lower press molds; Equipped with equipment and also.

A device in the form of a pin and a slot is provided.

Regardless of the occurrence of any thermal expansion or contraction.

The geometric center of the press mold is held aligned with the geometric center of the glass sheet supported by the press mold, such that the press mold aligns their complementary shapes with the glass sheet. so that when viewed in elevation, a complex profile having a longitudinal bending component of smooth curvature and a lateral bending component of S-shape or other desired shape can be curved simultaneously. This ensures that the glass panes are formed into the complex shapes required to match the contours of the mounting frame into which the laminated glass window resulting from the lamination of the glass pane pair is mounted.

The fact that the shapes of two glass sheets bent in the manner described here match exactly means that these two sheets of glass, even though they have complex shapes,
This makes it easy to stack sheets of glass.

Although the invention has been described in terms of simultaneously forming a pair of glass sheets into a complex shape, it is possible to form glass sheets one sheet at a time with equipment compatible with the invention, and to form the glass sheet(s) into a complex shape. It is within the scope of the present invention to cool the glass sheet sufficiently quickly to impart at least a partial temper to the glass sheet.

Regardless of whether the formed glass is annealed and laminated after forming, or tempered and/or laminated, one must ensure the proper shape of the bent glass sheet. Since the bends and contours are non-uniform, it may be necessary to use different alignment devices in one device.

Furthermore, although the apparatus of the specific embodiment described includes a profile mold used in combination with upper and lower press molds in a press bending station, one or more sheets of thin-walled glass (each having a thickness of (not exceeding 100 mm) into a somewhat less complex shape,
The contour mold can be used in combination with a vertically movable lower press mold without the use of an upper press mold.

In such a case, the one or more thin glass sheets are transferred from a contour mold supporting the periphery of the glass sheet to the vertically movable mold, the movable mold substantially extending over its entire area. supporting the glass sheet over the length of the glass sheet, and the combined drooping effects of inertia and gravity only changing the uncontrolled sag in the glass sheet into a controlled shape as the moving mold raises the glass sheet from the contour mold; This allows the glass sheet to fit into an upwardly facing molding part of a movable mold.

Under such circumstances, where the upper press mold is omitted, the press bending station is referred to as a forming station.

The present invention is concerned with forming glass sheets into complex shapes, but with proper transfer of glass sheets from a contour mold to a vertically movable mold, i.e., from a contour mold to a vertically movable mold. It is an important feature of the present invention to minimize misalignment and misorientation of the formed glass sheets during transport.

Another important feature is that after the glass sheet has been given a complex shape, it is returned to the contour mold in proper alignment.

The forms of the invention shown and described herein are exemplary preferred embodiments of the invention.

It is to be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 consisting of FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b is a longitudinal side view of a plate glass forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure shows the upstream part of the device. Figure 1b shows the downstream portion of the device, with some parts omitted to show other parts more clearly. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1, showing a transverse elevational view of the press bending station incorporated into the glass sheet forming apparatus. Note that some parts are removed to show other parts in cross section. FIG. 3 is a partial plan view showing an end portion of a mold support carriage for a contour mold used in a sheet glass forming apparatus, the center portion of the contour mold being an alignment and support structure for a lower press mold; The details are omitted to show the details. FIG. 3 also shows the aligning device included in the glass sheet forming apparatus. FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial front view of various portions of the lower press mold and contour mold, with the lower press mold shown in its lowered position. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the upper and lower press molds and profile mold taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 2, with some parts omitted to more clearly show other parts. FIG. 5 also shows that when the contour mold arrives, carrying a pair of glass sheets bent by one longitudinal bending component,
This shows the relative positions of the upper and lower press molds as they are moved apart from each other. FIG. 6 is a partial view similar to that of FIG. 5 in which the lower press mold has raised the glass sheet into a position in which it engages the upper press mold, with an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal bending component; It shows a state in which the shape is given in the circumferential direction. FIG. 7 is a partial plan view of the profile mold, supporting carriage and alignment apparatus in alignment with the lower press mold, with alignment pins retracted. FIG. 8 is a partial plan view of a portion of a contour mold containing a movable glass sheet edge alignment device. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 8, with the movable glass sheet edge alignment device in a raised position to define the edge position of the glass sheet as it is placed in the profile mold; , a certain state is shown. FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, with an operating pin fixed in position for movement with the lower press mold, thereby the alignment device after the glass edge alignment device has been actuated; shows the retracted position. FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a limit switch system that supports various actuations of the device used in the preferred embodiment. 31...Charging area, 33...Heating area, 34...Tube, 35...Gravity bending area, 36...F - transmission device, 37.
...Press bending station 7, 1ffl type station, 38...Luther light receiving device, 39.
...Annealing area, 40...Door, 43...
...Unloading area, 45...Short rolls constituting the conveyor, 46...Operation member, 47...
. . . Carriage or carriage, 50 . . . Small inner tab, 52 . . . Large outer tab, 53 .
. . . Upper longitudinal roll, 54 . . . Pivotal rod, 55 . . . Upper lateral rail. 56-...Plate with holes, 57...
finger. 58...Finger-shaped bracket, 59...
...Position adjustment device, 60...Set screw, 61
... Finger, 63 ... Contour reinforcement ring, 65 ... Contour mold, 67 ...
Connection member, 69...Longitudinal bar, 71...
. . . horizontal platform, 73 . . . J-shaped wall member or pin engagement member, 75 . . . long legs;
77...short leg, 79...closed end, 81...pin. 8 Total: Piston rond, 85...Piston cylinder, 87...Enlarged head, 88,
89...Limit switch, 91...
Aligning pin (guide device), 93... Sleeve, 9
4...Finger with hole, 95...
・Protruding tab, 96 ・・Screw shaft, 97 ・・・・・
・Horizontal pivot pin, 98...Mourning night, 99・
...Protruding tab, 100...Angle member, 101...Horizontal flange, 103...
... Lower press mold, 105 ... Upward press surface material, 107 ... Undercut part,
109...Mold cover. 111... Wire, 113, 115, 117° 119... Slot, 121... Metal plate,
123...Upright pin, 125...Z-shaped bar, 127...Lower flange, 129.
... Lattice, 131 ... Lower frame, 1
33... Vertical adjustment device, 135...
・Moving device, i.e., lower piston, 136... Operating pin, 137... Upper press mold, 13
9...Downward press surface material, 141...
Slot hole, 143... Aligning pin, 145...
・Metal plate, 147...Reinforcement grid, 149...
... Upper flange, 151 ... Z-shaped bar, 153 ... Upper metal frame, 155 ...
... Vertical adjustment device, 157 ... Column body, 1
59... Side door, 161... Elevating device, 169... Inner cylindrical housing, 170...
...First vertical rack, 172...
First gear, 174...Horizontal 7 drive shaft, 176
...Second gear, 118...Third gear? 1SO・・・Backup role, 18
2...Horizontal rack, 184...Backup roll. 186...Fourth gear, 188...Fifth gear, 189...Pair of 1 drive gears, 19
0...Second vertical rack, 191...
Back unroll, 192° 193...Limit switch, 194...Operation member.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method for forming a plate glass having a non-rectangular outline and a non-uniform curvature when seen in a plane into a complex shape having a longitudinal bending component and a lateral bending component. Strain plate glass forming equipment 1. an elongated heating furnace having a heating zone 33, a gravity bending zone 35 and a press bending station 37; a conveyor defining a path along a substantially horizontal longitudinal reference line extending longitudinally of the furnace; a carriage 47 adapted to move along the conveyor with the geometric center of the carriage substantially aligned with the longitudinal reference line;
7; a contour mold 65 supported on the carriage 47 and defining a shape consistent with the longitudinal bending component I; a position adjustment device for adjusting the position of the contour mold to position the geometric center of the contour mold such that the geometric center of the contour mold is vertically aligned with the geometric center of the carriage; 59; and an upper press mold 137 having a downwardly facing press face 139 with a downwardly facing molding surface defining the lateral bending component, the geometry of the downwardly facing molding surface being the center of the target is located on a fixed vertical axis that intersects the longitudinal reference line and a substantially horizontal transverse reference line perpendicular to the longitudinal reference line at the press bending station 37; The upper press mold 137 and an upward press surface material 1 having an upwardly facing molding surface having a complementary shape to the shape of the downwardly facing molding surface.
05; and moving said lower press mold 103 in a substantially perpendicular direction to center the geometrical center of said upwardly facing molding surface.
From a lower position below said path. a translation device 135 for translation along the fixed vertical axis to a raised position above the path and proximate the downwardly facing forming surface; and a pair of retractable pins 81 supported on opposite sides of the conveyor. When the lower press mold 103 occupies the lower position, the pair of pin engaging members 73 carried on the carriage 47 are positioned at positions where the pins 81 are to be engaged when the pins are extended. The geometric center of the contour mold 65 should be positioned such that when the pin 81 is engaged with the pin engagement member, the geometric center of the contour mold 65 coincides with the fixed vertical axis. and the pair of pin engaging members 73 configured. guiding the position of one or more flat glass panes carried by the contour mold 65 and placed on the contour mold, the geometric center of the one or more glass panes being aligned with the geometric center of the contour mold 65 a guiding device 91 for properly orienting and aligning the one or more sheets of glass with respect to the contour mold, the contour mold 65 passing through the furnace and press bending. While being moved towards station 37, the one or more sheets of glass are heated to a glass deformation temperature to conform to the contour mold while being properly oriented and aligned with the contour mold. The carriage 4 sags under the force of gravity, causing the one or more sheets of glass to be shaped into the longitudinally directed component.
7 is stopped at the press bending station 37 with the geometric center of the contour mold 65 located at the fixed vertical axis, and the lower press mold 103 is Lifting the bent glass sheet(s) to engage the one or more glass sheets in the upper press mold 137, thereby bending the lateral bending components of the complex shape at the press bending station. The lower press mold 103 lowers the one or more sheets of glass bent into the complex shape back onto the contour mold 65 and bends the one or more sheets of glass into the complex shape. , and the one or more glass sheets returned to the contour mold are placed on the contour mold with minimal deviations in orientation and alignment of the one or more glass sheets relative to the contour mold. A sheet glass forming apparatus configured to be moved from a press bending station.